Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Door or window with specified vehicle feature
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-22
2004-05-04
Pape, Joseph D. (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Door or window with specified vehicle feature
C296S191000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06729676
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to doors for motor vehicles, and relates more particularly to a hybrid composite reinforced door inner panel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional doors for motor vehicles generally have been constructed on an element by element basis requiring a sequence of operations during an assembly line process. The main door unit usually comprises a thin metal stamping forming an inner panel, while an outer panel is hemmed around the marginal edges of the inner panel. The automotive industry is continually trying to design lightweight door structures that provide high volume economic production together with good stiffness-to-weight ratios. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,947 teaches a lightweight vehicle door including, in one form, outer and inner plastic panels bonded together with the inner panel molded with upright forward, aft and intermediate frame portions. Motor vehicle doors have also been constructed with resin transfer molded inner or outer panels, with large steel panels on the hinge pillar and latch pillar for strength and stiffness. Other doors have used sheet molding compound and smaller steel reinforcements.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a door panel for a motor vehicle. The door panel comprises a front portion and a rear portion connected to the front portion. The front portion comprises carbon fiber sheet molding compound, and the rear portion comprises sheet molding compound containing glass fibers.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a door panel of the type described above that reduces door sag.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a door panel of the type described above that reduces permanent deflection.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a door panel of the type described above that eliminates any need for extensive hinge pillar reinforcement.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a door panel of the type described above that weighs less than conventional door panels.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will become further apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detailed description and drawings are merely illustrative of the invention rather than limiting, the scope of the invention being defined by the appended claims and equivalents thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4811517 (1989-03-01), Eckert et al.
patent: 4860496 (1989-08-01), Hellriegel
patent: 4861208 (1989-08-01), Boundy
patent: 5127191 (1992-07-01), Ohta
patent: 5505024 (1996-04-01), DeRees et al.
patent: 5555677 (1996-09-01), DeRees et al.
patent: 5570922 (1996-11-01), DeRees et al.
patent: 5573297 (1996-11-01), DeRees et al.
patent: 5581947 (1996-12-01), Kowall et al.
patent: 5853857 (1998-12-01), Mahmood et al.
patent: 5906409 (1999-05-01), DeRees et al.
patent: 6000118 (1999-12-01), Biernat et al.
patent: 6053561 (2000-04-01), Hojnowski et al.
patent: 6129410 (2000-10-01), Kosaraju et al.
patent: 6248200 (2001-06-01), Dailey et al.
“Applications Of Carbon Fiber SMC For The 2003 Dodge Viper” published by the Society Of Plastic Engineers, Sep. 2002.
Denton Douglas L
O'Hara Tim
Pearlman Daniel J
Rowden Steve
Shinedling Mike
DaimlerChrysler Corporation
Pape Joseph D.
Wallace Donald J.
LandOfFree
Hybrid composite reinforced door inner panel does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Hybrid composite reinforced door inner panel, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Hybrid composite reinforced door inner panel will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3217412